


Sonore sans dureté

by dearfriendicanfly



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Ghosts, Developing Friendships, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Light Angst, M/M, Multi, Piano, anyway it's just an au where they play piano instead of card games skjdhfgfjk, title comes from a notation from debussy's sunken cathedral, ummmmmmm why is it always so hard to come up with tags
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-08
Updated: 2020-11-08
Packaged: 2021-03-08 17:13:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,361
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27450265
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dearfriendicanfly/pseuds/dearfriendicanfly
Summary: An old, broken down piano. A mysterious new classmate. Rumors of a piano competition like no other.Yugi gave up competing a long time ago. He spends his time helping in his grandfather's music shop and saves his music for his loved ones, and that's always been more than enough. But when a nameless spirit asks Yugi for one last chance to play on a stage, everything changes.
Relationships: Atem & Mutou Yuugi, Bakura Ryou & Mutou Yuugi, Honda Hiroto | Tristan Taylor & Otogi Ryuuji | Duke Devlin, Jounouchi Katsuya | Joey Wheeler & Mutou Yuugi, Jounouchi Katsuya | Joey Wheeler/Kaiba Seto, Mazaki Anzu | Tea Gardner & Mutou Yuugi, Mutou Yuugi & Yami Yuugi
Comments: 6
Kudos: 5





	Sonore sans dureté

**Author's Note:**

> hello this is maybe the most self-indulgent thing I have ever written, thank you to all my friends who put up with me rambling about this au and especially to Alex for joining me in ygo hell mwah <333

One of the best parts of living above a music shop was waking up to the sound of music. Yugi had heard a wider selection of musicians than most people— everyone from first seat violinists to old blues guitar teachers to little children tinkering with the pianos in the shop. Every morning was something new and lovely. This morning, he heard a piano. 

The song was familiar, so very familiar. As Yugi lay in bed, halfway between sleeping and waking, he let it wash over him. It seemed to swell and deflate like waves on the sea, carrying something warm and heavy to him from very far away. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he had the thought that someone was playing the song for _him._

When Yugi finally woke, all that greeted him was silence. The song was gone, and he couldn't recall the melody.

Yugi let out a muffled groan. When he squinted blearily at the clock, it read an hour far too early for him to be up and about on a Saturday. But every time he shut his eyes and pulled the covers more snugly around his shoulders, all he could think about was that familiar melody from his dream. No matter how hard he tried to recall it, the notes all slipped through his fingers and fell in a heap at his feet that he couldn't seem to sort through. It made him a little sad. It had been beautiful, and that was all that he could remember. 

Eventually, he dragged himself out of bed and into a set of clean clothes and decided that he may as well start the day. 

He shuffled groggily down the stairs, but perked up at a warm, buttery scent floating up from the hall. When he came into the kitchen, he saw his mother sitting at the table, her chin in her hand and blinking the sleep from her eyes. She looked up as he walked in, and her face brightened. "You're up early," she smiled.

"Mm," Yugi yawned, grabbing two glasses from the cabinet and heading to the fridge. "Thought I heard someone playing downstairs. What kinda juice do you want?"

"Orange, pretty please."

"You got it."

He glanced at the oven as he filled the glasses, and he could just make out what looked like puff pastries just shy of golden brown. "Something smells good."

"Doesn't it?" his mom chuckled as she took her glass and pulled out a chair for him to sit beside her. She ran a hand through her short brown hair and hummed sleepily. "I made some for the kids' choir last week. We had an early dress rehearsal and I figured something sweet might perk them up. They were a big hit, so I thought I'd make some for us today, too. Joey had to come in early to help with a delivery this morning, I think."

Yugi sat up a little straighter, eyes bright. "Joey's here?"

"Mm-hmm. Breakfast is almost done, so you can take some down for him and your grandfather in a minute."

"Sure thing."

The two of them sipped their juice in sleepy silence as they waited for the pastries to be done. The kitchen was beginning to smell sweet like strawberries, a cool breeze was coming in through the open window, and the quiet of early morning was so comfortable that neither of them wanted to break it. When the oven timer finally went off, Yugi motioned for his mother to stay seated while he grabbed a mitt.

"Thanks," she sighed, slumping wearily over the table.

"'Course."

The smell when he opened the oven was heavenly. Butter and sugar, strawberries and cream. The pastries were braided neatly, with just enough filling that it started to leak from the seams. It was all Yugi could do to leave them on the cooling rack rather than dig right in.

"Those look amazing." Yugi sat back down beside his mother, away from temptation. "I think they might just make Joey cry."

"Heh, thanks. I try." She finished the last of her juice and leaned back in her chair. "Did you boys have any plans today after closing up?"

"Mm, not really. Tea said she might drop by today, though. We talked about grabbing lunch if the shop wasn't too busy, so maybe Joey can come, too."

"Aw, you'll have to tell her hi from me. The kids have another rehearsal today." She stood to her feet and stretched, stifling a yawn. "You two should drop by one of these days, I'm sure they'd love to see you again. Oh!" Her eyes lit up and she laughed as she stirred up a little bowl of sweet glaze sitting beside the cooling rack. "You two could lead some of the caroling groups this year! Do you remember going caroling when you were little? Oh, you two were just the funniest little things in your costumes..."

"I remember," Yugi snorted, laying his head on the table. "Tea laughed at me for being tone deaf."

"Aw, you weren't tone deaf. You were just six." She smiled at the memory as she drizzled the glaze over the warm pastries. "That reminds me, I heard something about..."

Her voice trailed away. Yugi looked up, curious, but when his mother glanced back at him, she seemed hesitant. "...Well, never mind," she said quickly, and she slid the pastries off the rack and onto a plate. "Just take these down to the shop and tell Tea I said hi."

"Will do," Yugi said, still eyeing his mother curiously, but she seemed to have put whatever it was she wanted to talk about out of her mind. He turned and started heading down to the shop, but then he turned back around with a start. "Oh! Mom, did you hear what they were playing downstairs a little while ago? It sounded so familiar, but I can't remember..."

His mother looked confused as she hung up her apron. "Downstairs? I didn't hear anything. Store's not open for another hour, right?"

"Oh, right... Maybe it was Grandpa? I could have sworn I heard someone at the piano."

"Eh... maybe." Her eyes glittered with humor. "Or maybe you're a genius composer writing sonatas in your sleep."

"Ha, I wish." But as he went down the stairs into the shop, he thought that it couldn't have been a dream. It was hard to put it into words, but he got the feeling that the music he heard had belonged to someone else.

All the same, Kame Music was quiet that morning. The violins and guitars and all other string instruments rested peacefully in their stands along the walls. All the horns and woodwinds were tucked safely in their cases. The drum kit was in need of dusting, and the upright piano in the corner that Yugi's grandfather used to teach was shuttered and silent. A few boxes were scattered around the floor— new inventory, Yugi guessed. And Joey sat behind the counter, struggling to stay awake as he rifled through a little box of guitar picks. His hands were fisted in his tousled blond hair, and he looked like he might go crazy sitting there and staring at the pile of picks.

"Mornin', Joey."

Joey only grunted in response, apparently absorbed in his work, but as soon as the smell of the fresh pastries wafted past, he snapped to attention. "What is _that?_ "

"Breakfast. Mom made 'em."

Yugi set the plate on the counter and pulled up the drum stool to sit on. The two of them dug eagerly into their breakfast, and the warm, tangy strawberries tucked into sweet cream cheese and buttery pastry seemed to bring Joey back to life. He really did look like he might cry.

"Does your mom know I'd kill for her?"

"Probably." Yugi glanced at the guitar picks still strewn over the counter, chewing thoughtfully. "Whatcha doing?"

"Inventory," Joey grumbled around a mouthful of strawberries. "I gotta count every single one of these freakin' things. I've been at it forever. I'll die before I'm finished."

"It's only been ten minutes," Solomon said, making the other two jump nearly out of their skins. The little old man closed the door to his workshop behind him, eyes glinting with mischief.

"Like I said, forever." Joey held out the plate to Solomon. "Want one, Gramps?"

"Ho ho, don't mind if I do."

Yugi finished off his breakfast and peered into the boxes strewn around the shop floor. They were lesson books, mostly, some for piano, some for guitar, and one box for violin.

"Was this the delivery Mom was talking about?" Yugi asked curiously, flipping through a piano book that he recognized as one he had played from as a kid. "She said that was why you came in early, Joey."

"Yes and no." Joey wiped the crumbs from his mouth and grinned knowingly at Yugi. "I came to help haul the Steinway."

Yugi nearly dropped the book. His eyes went wide as saucers as he wheeled around to look at Solomon, who was grinning even wider than Joey. "It's here?!" Yugi gasped. "I thought it wasn't gonna get here until next week!"

"Heh, something came up and we rescheduled the delivery. I thought I'd surprise you, so I called in Joey to help move it in."

"I shoulda called Tristan, too," Joey groaned, slumping over the counter. "The owner was no help at all. Some little old lady who snatched the piano up at an estate sale. Hauling that thing in by myself was no joke, man."

But Yugi seemed oblivious to Joey's woes. He looked at Solomon, his eyes practically shining with excitement. "Can I see?"

Solomon chuckled and opened the door to the workshop. "Be my guest."

The workshop was one of Yugi's favorite places in all the world. It always smelled of sawdust and fond memories. Three pianos in various stages of restoration sat in different corners of the room, and against one wall was Solomon's work bench, its drawers stuffed full with carpentry tools and all the little puzzle pieces that came together to make a beautiful instrument. But it was the center of the room that caught Yugi's attention — there was an enormous grand piano, old and battered and stripped of half its finish, and it took Yugi's breath away.

"She's in real rough shape," Solomon sighed, following behind as Yugi approached the keys. The ivory was chipped and dull, and when Yugi gently pressed one of the keys, it made almost no sound.

"What does it need?"

"What _doesn't_ it need?" Solomon peered underneath the lid, grimacing. "The soundboard is cracked, there's dry rot in the pin block, the action needs to be _completely_ overhauled... Not to mention all the cosmetic damage. And look, it's missing a leg on top of it all!" He rapped his knuckles against the support holding up the right side of the piano and frowned. "This one's gonna take us a while, Yugi."

"That's just how Yugi likes it," Joey smiled, leaning in the doorway to the workshop. "Right, Yug?"

"W-Well, I like a challenge," Yugi stammered, turning a little red, "but I wouldn't say I like seeing a piano look so..."

_So neglected,_ he thought, but for some reason, he couldn't bring himself to say it aloud. It made him too sad. 

Yugi ran a finger along the weathered ivories— weathered by time, not by use, he could tell. Time had eaten away at the piano's rosy finish, too, and the once beautiful inlay that sprawled across the lid. Yugi couldn't even make out what it was supposed to look like anymore. The elements had worn down the exterior, rot and decay eaten away at the interior, and now it couldn't even make a sound. Except—

"Oh!" Solomon cried softly. Yugi had found just one note that still rang true. It was faint, dulled by the cracked soundboard and threadbare felt, but it was there. They all heard it. The piano still wanted to be played, Yugi thought, and his heart felt a little lighter.

The look in Yugi's eye brought a fond smile to Solomon's face. 

"We'll start on the restoration tonight," he said, laying a gentle hand on his grandson's back. "Once I've finished lessons for today, we can sit down and work out a plan."

Yugi nodded, still looking over the piano with that searching expression that Solomon knew well. As if the piano were a puzzle to be solved, a mystery to be understood.

"Lessons!" Joey gasped, startling Yugi out of his reverie. "Argh, I forgot to get my practice in yesterday... Gramps, can I have some extra practice time today?"

Solomon raised an eyebrow, but the corners of his mouth twitched with humor. "Did you finish inventory?"

"Pleeeeeeaaaaaase?"

"Oh... all right," Solomon relented, laughing just a little. "Go ahead and practice now before we open up and you can just finish inventory whenever you have a minute."

" _Yes!_ Thanks Gramps, you're the best!"

Joey rushed back into the store to sit down at the upright, but Solomon paused before following. Yugi was still lingering, staring thoughtfully at the old piano and the single key that had sounded at his touch.

"...Hey, Grandpa, I forgot to ask before, but were you playing something on the piano this morning? I thought I heard somebody playing when I woke up."

Solomon scratched his chin, thinking. "No, I don't think so," he said slowly. "I haven't heard Joey playing today, either."

"Right... It's just, the piano just now... I thought..." 

"Yugi!" Joey called, practically bouncing with excitement in the other room. "Come listen to what I'm workin' on, I think it's sounding pretty good now!"

Yugi seemed to come back to earth at that, shaking his head and smiling. "Coming! Is it the one from that movie?"

"Yeah, I figured out that one passage with the tricky fingering!"

Solomon closed the door to the workshop behind him, but the piano kept on lingering in the back of Yugi's mind. He couldn't shake the feeling that he'd heard it played before, a long time ago.

**Author's Note:**

> Soooooo I have never actually played piano competitively in my life, the closest I've ever come is high school choir competitions lmfao. I'm also not exactly a huge classical music buff, so some of my picks for their competition pieces might seem like stupid choices. But I do play piano casually, ever since I was little, and I do like classical piano AND watching solo competitions from time to time, so writing this and learning more about the culture of competitive piano and even piano restorations has been super fun and interesting! If any of you readers are competitive pianists, feel free to educate me on anything I get wrong skjfdhfjgk
> 
> Also a general question, do I need to add "major character death" as a warning for a story about a ghost?? He's already dead so... :pensive: 
> 
> Anyway, thanks for reading, I hope you all enjoyed this first chapter! As always, comments and kudos are appreciated more than words can say. <333

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [Jacob's Ladder](https://archiveofourown.org/works/27646465) by [KeldvokWrites](https://archiveofourown.org/users/KeldvokWrites/pseuds/KeldvokWrites)




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